Money Talks

It’s hard to review a movie like Money Talks. The movie tries to aim itself at a mass audience, but the audience for the film is limited. Not because of its formula buddy/comedy/action script, but by its lead actor, Chris Tucker.

The formula for Money Talks is pretty simplistic. A reporter (Charlie Sheen) setups up a ticket scalper (Chris Tucker) to be arrested. After the scalper is arrested, he escapes, but not before hearing about some super secret lucrative dirty dealing. Now that the scalper has escaped, he goes and finds the reporter who put him away. The scalper is now being hunted by the cops because they thing he is a cop killer. His last chance? The reporter maybe able to clear his name. The reporter who put him away feels guilty and helps the scalper out. Along the way we run into really bad guys, cops, and gangsters. Throw in a wedding, some stunts, and a few comedic lines and you have the formula for Money Talks.

The limitation of this film is Chris Tucker. Tucker is a nasally voiced fast talking cheap knock-off of Eddie Murphy. I think some will find it hard to watch Tucker for more than five minutes. I’ve gotten used to him after seeing him in The 5th Element, so he wasn’t so bad. His annoying screen presence though is what carries the film. His presence far overshadows that of Charlie Sheen. Sheen gives a very bland performance in this film, but it’s probably expected by looking at Sheen’s last few films.

The action is rather bland. Most of it consists of car chases and gun fights. Director Brett Ratner shows that he is a rookie at shooting and editing action. Most action sequences are chaotic, badly edited, and end up losing the audience. The comedy of the film is much better than the action, I found myself laughing out loud many times during the film.

Overall, Money Talks is a formula film that does entertain. While I recommend this film, it is a weak recommendation, see it during a matinee showing or on video. And keep in mind that Tucker is pretty obnoxious and annoying, if you can’t tolerate an actor like this, then this film is definitely not for you.